Happy International Women's Day!
Internationalwomensday.com has declared this year's theme "The Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum", and here at DWtO that's something we can truly get behind! And so is the United Nations has declared this International Women's Day "A promise is a promise: Time for action to end violence against women."
The good news is none of us are alone in these causes.
The world has taken up the call to co-create equality and respect for women, and we believe that together we can be the change we wish to see. Let's take today to sincerely reflect on these two themes and what we can do in our own lives to further the peace, equality and respect in our homes and in our communities.
Going Back to School
This past month DWtO has visited three school classrooms kick-starting the pilot program of Dancing Backwards: Let's get Canada's Political Women into History! The response has been overwhelmingly positive, with students eager to be contributing their ideas and hard work.
The students have split into small groups to envision and create a storytelling piece, in the medium of their choice, about one of Canada's many hidden female political figures. Their work will comprise a database to be used by other students in British Columbia (and eventually all over Canada!) as a curriculum-enhancing, educational tool. The goal is to make this an interactive online database, not only as a resource for teachers, but to provide the opportunity to more students to contribute their stories, as well. In this way Dancing Backwards will continue to expand giving a voice to the forgotten women who worked so hard to build this country.
Going back to school has been so fun and inspiring. The students and teachers we've met are engaged, intelligent and excited to hear what we have to say. The pilot phase of this program is still underway and we are heading into March with lots of enthusiasm and positivity for the work ahead.
Pictured above, Peter Campbell filming the Dancing Backwards pilot presentation at Colquitz Middle School.
Indiegogo
Stay tuned for the launch of Dancing Backwards Indiegogo campaign scheduled for the end of March! Crowd-sourcing is a method of fundraising where many people contribute just a little - but it all ads up! Indiegogo will be one of the ways we'll pay for the Dancing Backwards expenses. Thanks in advance!
February was an extraordinary month – Dancing Backwards launched by taking a giant leap forward into three Victoria schools: Gordon Head Middle, Colquitz Middle and Spectrum High. Thanks to the over 100 students and their teachers who welcomed us into their classrooms and gave their full attention to the energetic Prezi-framed talk – artfully assembled and facilitated for me, by DWtO intern, Johanna Lee.
The students responded with curiosity and enthusiasm. The conversation has started!
Dancing Backwards has captured their imaginations, and raised their awareness. I can hardly wait to watch and video their final projects come mid-April. Update: It looks like two grade 5 classes (can't announce the school name until we're confirmed) should be on board by the end of spring break. The pilot project will be complete with representation from three grade levels. We did it!
And there’s more great news to report: my suspicion that just a little education can combat youth voter apathy, has been confirmed. At the end of each class, when I asked the students, “Who plans to vote when you become eligible?”, I got an instantaneous, unanimous show of hands!! Young people
will participate if we take the time to help them understand how very important their voices are.
I’ll be taking
Dancing Backwards to Vancouver Island University (VIU) Women’s Studies class this month at the invitation of Professor Marian Van Der Zon. She's curious to see just how far DWtO has come in a year and will interview me on her afternoon radio show on CHLY 101.7 FM
Radio Malaspina Society, before the 3 hour class - I love it!
On a follow-up note to One Billion Rising – I want to thank Michael Mayzel and Stefan Rechtschaffen of The Blue Spirit Retreat Center in Costa Rica, my new friend Sheryl Lamb, Krishna Das, and all of the 250 women and men, who, on Feb 14th, Rose up and Danced to the passionate chant, dedicated by Krishna Das’ to honour the day. It felt so good to unite with pro-activists, all over the world, showing solidarity and saying no to violence against women. Amen.
Pictured above, Sandy with Colquitz Middle School grade 8 teacher Amei Mai.
Friday, March 8, 2013 at 05:43PM 
